Characteristics of mountain glaciers in the northern Japanese Alps

In 2012, three perennial snow patches in the northern Japanese Alps were determined to be very small glaciers (VSGs: < 0.5 km2). These were soon followed by four more nearby. However, it had not been determined how such glaciers could be maintained in such a warm climate. In this study, we calculate annual and seasonal mass balances of five of these VSGs, covering 2015–2019 for four of them (2017–2019 for the fifth) using multi-period digital surface models (DSMs) based on structure from motion–multi-view stereo (SfM–MVS) technology and images taken from a small airplane. The results indicate that, due to mass acquired from avalanches, these VSGs are maintained by acquiring a winter balance that is more than double that from the snowfall amount, thereby exceeding the summer balance. Therefore, we classify them as topographically controlled VSGs. We find almost no annual fluctuation in their summer balance; however, their winter balance, and annual balance, have large annual fluctuations. The annual balance, which mainly depends on the winter balance, showed accumulation throughout each glacier during heavy snow years and ablation throughout each glacier during light snow years. This characteristic differs from the upper accumulation area and lower ablation area that exists on most glaciers. These VSGs had negative annual balance gradients, which suggests that they did not have an equilibrium line during the observation period. Moreover, comparing to other glaciers worldwide, we find the mass balance amplitude of glaciers in the northern Japanese Alps to be the highest measured to date.

SOME ASPECTS OF COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SME STANDARDS IN THE EU AND GEORGIA

There are different attitudes towards small business definition. Basically, the laws of the countries are based on the criteria on the basis of which this or that enterprise belongs to the small business sector. However, in EU countries, small and medium enterprises are considered as small businesses and they are considered in one context. The concept of small and medium business combines number of employees, annual turnover and annual balance. The official definition of small and medium enterprises in Georgia is partially in line with EU standards. The concepts of small business and micro business are established only in terms of tax policy, while in institutional and quantitative or qualitative terms its definition is not officially definite.

Liquidity buffers determinants in GCC’s Islamic banks

The purpose of this paper is to understand determinants of liquidity buffers in the GCC’s Islamic banks. We apply the model of Bonner et al. (2005) on balanced panel data, bank specific data and annual balance sheet data for all reporting banks. The data cover a period of 8 years from 2004 until 2011 for 24 Islamic banks from GCC region that includes mainly Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait. Results show that liquidity buffers negatively related to the size of the bank, the capitalization is negatively related to liquidity buffers in Islamic banks in the GCC region and the ratio of deposits is negatively related to liquid assets holding in Islamic banks, but not statistically significant. In addition, we found a positive relationship between the profitability and liquidity buffers in Islamic banks of the GCC region. Finally, we found a different result when it comes to macroeconomic variables. First we noticed a negative impact of the inflation on liquidity buffers and second, a positive significant relationship between GDP real growth and liquidity buffers in Islamic banks in the GCC region. Our findings can serve as a tool for policy makers in the GCC region to adopt sounder strategies of liquidity management.

Minor Imbalance of the Lowermost Italian Glacier from 2006 to 2019

The response of very small glaciers to climate changes is highly scattered and little known in comparison with larger ice bodies. In particular, small avalanche-fed and debris-covered glaciers lack mass balance series of sufficient length. In this paper we present 13 years of high-resolution observations over the Occidentale del Montasio Glacier, collected using Airborne Laser Scanning, Terrestrial Laser Scanning, and Structure from Motion Multi-View Stereo techniques for monitoring its geodetic mass balance and surface dynamics. The results have been analyzed jointly with meteorological variables, and compared to a sample of “reference” glaciers for the European Alps. From 2006 to 2019 the mass balance showed high interannual variability and an average rate much closer to zero than the average of the Alpine reference glaciers (−0.09 vs. −1.42 m water equivalent per year, respectively). This behavior can be explained by the high correlation between annual balance and solid precipitation, which displayed recent peaks. The air temperature is not significantly correlated with the mass balance, which is main controlled by avalanche activity, shadowing and debris cover. However, its rapid increase is progressively reducing the fraction of solid precipitation, and increasing the length of the ablation season.

Impacto do uso do filtro “velocidade de fricção” em estimativas anuais de carbono sobre ecossistemas de pastagem natural

Annual carbon estimation of the most diverse ecosystems is a recurring theme in meetings that address climate change mitigation, as it is essential to have a realistic inventory of carbon stock in the biosphere and the ability to assimilate atmospheric carbon. Measurements of CO2 flux over ecosystems after being taken undergo rigorous post-processing to remove spurious and unrealistic data. In addition, a correction for low turbulence situations, where the eddy-covariance technique may be underestimated, is to take the friction velocity (u*) as a threshold to establish valid measurements, especially at night. This method, although widely used by the scientific community, is not unanimous. Especially since u* is itself a flow and consequently its value correlates with the time scale used for the analysis. This paper presents the annual carbon estimate of a natural pasture ecosystem, Pampa biome, in an experimental site established in Santa Maria - RS. We evaluated three distinct situations in the annual carbon estimate (NEP): i) without a u* filter; ii) with a fixed filter u* for all evaluated years and; iii) with the filter u* varying seasonally. The methodology used to estimate u* is the same as that used by Papale et al. (2006). The results show a total annual carbon sequestration variability of up to 10% depending on the methodology employed. The ecosystem in question, regardless of the method used, proved to be a carbon sink. However, the use of one methodology or another in ecosystem situations that are close to carbon assimaltion neutral should be closely scrutinized for an accurate annual balance.

Soil management in Brazilian states: comparative analyzes of Physical and Monetary Soil Nutrient Balance in 2005 and 2015

Intensive agricultural production tends to stimulate the outflow of nutrients from the soil, requiring producers to properly manage the soil to avoid reducing fertility in the following crops. Thus, the objective was to estimate the annual monetary balance of nutrients in the soil of six Brazilian states that present the highest consumption of inorganic fertilizers in the years 2005 and 2015. The Annual Balance of Nutrients in Soil was used to calculate the physical and monetary balance of nutrients, in the main crops of these States, by quantifying the export of N, P, K from the soil by plants and the insertion of nutrients, through the application of fertilizers, fertigation, and biological fixation. The monetary balance of N, P and K added for the six states was positive and increased by 114% between 2005 and 2015, however, the balance of P for the state of Paraná was negative in 2015 reaching R$ 1,769.17. The balances and Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and Paraná were higher concerning Goiás, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais. Except for Paraná, related to P, there was no positive depreciation of the associated NPK nutrients. The different flows, in the comparison among states, are caused by the different dynamics of land use, mainly in the size of the corn and soybean cultivation area.

The Impact of Bank's Asset and Liability Structure on their Profitability Regardless of Monetary Policy and Size: A Panel Analysis

The study examines the impact of bank's asset and liability structure on their profitability without monetary policy and size; the study utilizes panel data with cross section analysis on data of 10 unit banks according to the annual balance sheet & performance. The populations of the study are bank units listed on Egyptian Exchange (EGX), the study’s data collection covered the duration from 2008 till 2016. Eventually, the study ascertained that there is an impact of the bank's asset and liability structure on their profitability according to "Return on Asset" and "Return on Equity"; however, the interprets of bank's asset and liability structure for "Return on Equity" more that to "Return on Asset". Therefore, the banking units should work to maintain the optimal rate of the structure of the bank's assets and liabilities; this may be a potential research scope in banks.

Exceptionally High 2018 Equilibrium Line Altitude on Taku Glacier, Alaska

The Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) has been examining the glaciers of the Juneau Icefield since 1946. The height of the transient snowline (TSL) at the end of the summer represents the annual equilibrium line altitude (ELA) for the glacier, where ablation equals accumulation. On Taku Glacier the ELA has been observed annually from 1946 to 2018. Since 1998 multiple annual observations of the TSL in satellite imagery identify both the migration rate of the TSL and ELA. The mean ELA has risen 85 ± 10 m from the 1946–1985 period to the 1986–2018 period. In 2018 the TSL was observed at: 900 m on 5 July; 975 m on 21 July; 1075 m on 30 July; 1400 m on 16 September; and 1425 m on 1 October. This is the first time since 1946 that the TSL has reached or exceeded 1250 m on Taku Glacier. The 500 m TSL rise from 5 July to 30 July, 8.0. md−1, is the fastest rate of rise observed. This combined with the observed balance gradient in this region yields an ablation rate of 40–43 mmd−1, nearly double the average ablation rate. On 22 July a snow pit was completed at 1405 m with 0.93 m w.e. (water equivalent), that subsequently lost all snow cover, prior to 16 September. This is one of eight snow pits completed in July providing field data to verify the ablation rate. The result of the record ELA and rapid ablation is the largest negative annual balance of Taku Glacier since records began in 1946.

Multi-year evaluation of airborne geodetic surveys to estimate seasonal mass balance, Columbia and Rocky Mountains, Canada

Seasonal measurements of glacier mass balance provide insight into the relation between climate forcing and glacier change. To evaluate the feasibility of using remotely sensed methods to assess seasonal balance, we completed tandem airborne laser scanning (ALS) surveys and field-based glaciological measurements over a 4-year period for six alpine glaciers that lie in the Columbia and Rocky Mountains, near the headwaters of the Columbia River, British Columbia, Canada. We calculated annual geodetic balance using coregistered late summer digital elevation models (DEMs) and distributed estimates of density based on surface classification of ice, snow, and firn surfaces. Winter balance was derived using coregistered late summer and spring DEMs, as well as density measurements from regional snow survey observations and our glaciological measurements. Geodetic summer balance was calculated as the difference between winter and annual balance. Winter mass balance from our glaciological observations averaged 1.95±0.09 m w.e. (meter water equivalent), 4 % larger than those derived from geodetic surveys. Average glaciological summer and annual balance were 3 % smaller and 3 % larger, respectively, than our geodetic estimates. We find that distributing snow, firn, and ice density based on surface classification has a greater influence on geodetic annual mass change than the density values themselves. Our results demonstrate that accurate assessments of seasonal mass change can be produced using ALS over a series of glaciers spanning several mountain ranges. Such agreement over multiple seasons, years, and glaciers demonstrates the ability of high-resolution geodetic methods to increase the number of glaciers where seasonal mass balance can be reliably estimated.